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16
All-time top scorer
Miroslav Klose — Germany, 2002–2014
Klose scored in 4 consecutive World Cups — 5 in 2002, 5 in 2006, 4 in 2010, 2 in 2014. He broke Ronaldo's record of 15 with Germany's semi-final goal vs Brazil 2014.
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5
Most World Cup titles
Brazil — 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
Brazil is the only nation to appear at all 22 World Cups. Their 5 titles span 44 years. No other CONMEBOL nation has more than 3 (Argentina).
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13
Goals in one tournament
Just Fontaine — France 1958 — 6 games
France's Fontaine scored 13 in 6 matches at Sweden 1958 including a hat-trick vs Germany in the 3rd place match. This single-tournament record has not been approached since.
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173,850
Largest official attendance
Brazil vs Uruguay — Maracanã, 1950 final round
The official figure is 173,850 — some sources cite over 200,000 present. The match, known as the Maracanazo, ended Uruguay 2–1 Brazil, ending the host nation's hopes.
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11 sec
Fastest goal
Hakan Şükür — Turkey vs South Korea, 2002
Turkey's Şükür scored after 11 seconds of the 3rd-place match at the 2002 World Cup — the fastest goal in World Cup history. Turkey won 3–2 to take third place.
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12
Goals in one match
Austria 7–5 Switzerland — Switzerland 1954, Lausanne
The Swiss quarter-final on June 26, 1954 produced 12 goals — the highest-scoring World Cup match ever. The 1954 tournament averaged 5.38 goals per game, also a record.
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40 yrs 4 days
Oldest World Cup winner
Dino Zoff — Italy 1982 (goalkeeper)
Italy's goalkeeper Zoff was 40 years and 4 days old when Italy beat West Germany 3–1 in the 1982 final in Madrid. He remains the oldest World Cup winner ever.
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17 yrs 249 days
Youngest World Cup scorer (final)
Pelé — Brazil vs Sweden, 1958
Pelé scored twice in the 1958 final, becoming the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final. He was 17 years and 249 days old. Brazil won 5–2.
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14
Most matches played
Lothar Matthäus — Germany, 1982–1998
Matthäus played in 5 World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) across 25 matches including warmups. His 14 actual finals appearances is the all-time record.
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2,548
Total goals scored
All tournaments — 1930–2022 (22 editions)
Across 22 tournaments and 900 matches, 2,548 goals have been scored — an average of 2.83 per match. The 2022 Qatar tournament set the record for goals in a 64-match format with 172.
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3
Hat-tricks in finals
Geoff Hurst — England vs West Germany, 1966
Hurst is the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His third goal — whether it crossed the line — remains one of football's greatest controversies.
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8
Most World Cups as coach
Bora Milutinovic — Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Nigeria, China, Honduras, Iraq, Montenegro
Milutinovic coached at 8 World Cups (1986–2010) with 6 different nations — an unmatched record in international football management.
World Cup records that may never be broken
Just Fontaine's 13 goals in a single tournament (France 1958) is considered the most unbreakable record in football history. In 1958, teams played a maximum of 6 games — today the format is the same, but defensive organisation and tournament pressure make such a tally almost inconceivable.
The 1950 Maracanã crowd of 173,850 is another record that will never return: FIFA now imposes strict safety-based capacity limits. The largest venue in the 2026 World Cup, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, holds 82,500. Explore 2026 World Cup stadiums and Canada's host venues in detail. See our all-time FIFA World Cup records and stats.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first edition with 48 national teams competing across 16 cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. With 104 matches scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, this tournament sets a new record for the largest World Cup in history. Three host nations competing simultaneously creates a cross-border sporting event unlike anything football has seen before. BC Place in Vancouver, BMO Field in Toronto and the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City are among the most iconic venues on the roster.
Canada's inclusion as a host nation adds particular significance for North American football. The Canadian men's national team qualified for a World Cup for the first time since 1986, and the home advantage in 2026 is expected to draw record crowds at BC Place and BMO Field. Alphonso Davies remains the most recognized face of Canadian football internationally, having established himself at Bayern Munich before his move to Real Madrid in 2025.
Group stage matches are distributed across all three host countries, with knockout rounds moving progressively toward the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is set to host the final on July 19, 2026. Capacity: 82,500. The United States will host the majority of matches, 60 out of 104, including all matches from the quarterfinals onward. FIFA confirmed the full match schedule in February 2025 following the completion of the draw in Miami.
